EMQs with Amanda Of Famous Strangers
EMQ With Famous Strangers
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
My name is Amanda Kiernan. I am the vocalist for Famous Strangers.
Famous Strangers has been around for about three years, but all of us come from 20-plus years of other bands and experience in the scene. We are a hard rock band, but we are also very diverse. We go into a little bit of metal, sometimes a little bit of blues, and some punky stuff too.
We have five singles out on all platforms, with one more single to come before we release our full-length album on vinyl in August.
Famous Strangers was not even supposed to happen. We had just joined each other to play some covers. Braden, Beej, and Jeff have been playing together for a long time and have known each other since they were kids, so they had a lot of material accumulate over the years. Then FS was born.
We come from bands like This Is War, Sleeping Girl, Pugnacious, Compromise, The Order of Chaos, Into Eternity, and more.
How did you come up with your band name?
Jeff was driving one day and listening to Perfect Strangers by Deep Purple. Then he looked up while he was sitting at a stoplight and saw Famous Donair, so he put those two together: Famous Strangers.
He thought it stuck and that it struck a chord with him. It is sort of about how we are all strangers together, but famous in our own little way in our community and where we have all come from.
That is how it started. It is definitely a unique name and it does stand out. It kind of sounds odd. I did not like it at the beginning, but it has grown on me and I do love it. I like how I say FS. I like that.
What country / region are you from and what is the metal / rock scene like there?
We are from Canada, eh. We are from Edmonton, Alberta, or Sherwood Park, Alberta.
The metal and rock scene is incredible. I think it is even more incredible for us because we have grown up in this community. Obviously, it takes time when you join a community to get to know people, but I was lucky enough that when I first walked into a metal show, sneaking into bars when I was underage, I had no idea I would befriend all those metalheads and still know them and be friends with them to this day.
It is always incredible to go to shows. I go by myself because I am immediately going to run into somebody I know, and honestly, I do not want to bring anybody because I am all over the place at metal shows. I am here, there, and everywhere, saying hi to everybody. I like to be a lone wolf at the shows so I can mingle and do my own thing.
Now there are a lot of all-ages shows happening, so you are starting to see the next generation come out. We used to be the new generation, and now we are the older people standing in the back. I remember those people, and now we are one of them. It is incredible to see all the youngins keeping metal alive, getting into it, and seeing all the new young bands. They are amazing. It is really cool to play with them and meet them. The scene is forever growing, and it is amazing.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Our latest release is Ghosts of Men. It is a single off our new album that is coming out in August.
It is definitely more of a rock and roll song about being ghosted, but it hits on a more intimate side of that. It is about what it feels like when you are at home alone, how your mind spirals, and what that feels like.
It came out with a music video too, and that is the other side of it. The video is more quirky, crazy, and fun. It is a take on what you imagine the other person is doing when you are being ghosted. Like, “Oh, they are probably just out partying and being degenerates out in the club.” So yeah, our latest release is Ghosts of Men.
Who have been your greatest influences?
It is always growing and changing. From the beginning, we all loved and were influenced by The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Deftones, The Smalls, Tool, and the list goes on and on.
We are blessed to be influenced every day by going to shows and seeing bands up on stage. There is influence everywhere, not just with bands but with life too. It is pretty rad.
What first got you into music?
I feel like me and Jeff were both playing at a young age. Funnily enough we both learned Day Tripper by The Beatles. I think that was one of the first songs because that first riff is not easy, but it is pretty straightforward to learn on a guitar.
Braden has been playing music since he was in his mother’s belly. Jeez, he is a music man. He always has been. He loves to jam and play in as many bands as he can possibly handle, and it is pretty amazing.
Beej even won a jazz competition a long time ago. He has been playing in bands for a long time, and he also played piano. We have all been playing in bands for a long time.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
It would be fun to write a song with Tool, for sure. I think we would definitely fit well.
For playing a show, I have heard a lot of our fans say Halestorm. I know Beej has definitely dropped the name Faith No More. I think Braden would love to play a show with Corb Lund if he has not already.
Maybe we can manifest something here. W.A.S.P. is coming to play Edmonton later in the year, so maybe a magical miracle will happen and we get to open up for those legends. You never know. Anything can happen.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
I think every single metalhead will always say Wacken. It is almost like we feel if you can play Wacken, you have made it.
There are way too many festivals to count. We honestly want to play every single festival the whole world has to offer, but Wacken is definitely the one that a lot of people know about. Growing up, that was the big festival we all knew about.
We definitely want to head out of Canada and tour around the world. We love all the places and we want to explore everywhere, so Wacken would be a great place to play, experience, and see how they run things over there.
You get so much inspiration from every show. It would be cool to get inspiration from the bands, sit at the merch booth, and see what other bands are doing and what they have going on. It is super fun to play festivals for that reason, to watch bands on stage and see how they run the show. I love to sit at the merch booth and look at what other bands have going on. Like, “That is a great idea. That is a really cool shirt.” And also to buy the merch and support the festival and the bands.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
I wish I had a really cool story about that. I am sure I will have a better answer for you in the future, but I have received a lot of gifts, incredible ones actually. Weird? I am not sure. I bet there is one, but I cannot think of it right now.
I think some girl last year gave me a really tiny miniature toy. I cannot remember what it was. I think it was an animal. It was cute and adorable.
This next one is not weird at all, it is actually adorable. This young girl, I think she was 13 years old, gave me her ring off her finger. It was adorable. I have it and I wear it a lot at the shows.
The kindness and support and hospitality of people is incredible. We have been very lucky over the years getting gifts – even a nice big old bag of weed back when I used to smoke. I am not sure if I am allowed to say that.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
We love you so much, and without you we are absolutely nothing. Because of you, we can achieve our dreams. We can do what we have always wanted to do because of you.
I hope you know how special you are as a person. I hope you just get through today. Everything is going to be okay. We love you, and thank you for all your support. You are incredible and amazing.
And just remember who the fuck you are, because you are epic and worthy.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
My goodness, just one? I was going to go with Layne Staley from Alice in Chains, but then Freddie Mercury came into the picture because I wonder what he would have accomplished and what he would be doing now.
Obviously, he would be much older, but it seems like he would have done a lot of great things and put on a lot of unforgettable experiences and shows.
But I almost feel like I am being mean to the other ones. Bring everybody back. I guess they live on through their music, don’t they?
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
Being a musician is hard to believe, honestly, and I feel like the luckiest person on the planet.
Just the other day I was with my band at Decimate Metal Fest and I had my badge on my neck. I love to collect the VIP passes you get on tour and stuff. I told the boys, “I love this.” I love being on the other end of things – backstage, seeing the setup of the stage, seeing the sound guy, seeing what the light guy is doing, seeing all the bands putting things together. Seeing what is going on behind the scenes.
You cannot deny that feeling when you get on that stage, man. It is like a drug and nothing compares to it. It is a great way to get your messages out through music. Instead of running around telling people they are amazing and worthy and getting deep with people – which I still do – sometimes people do not want to listen to you. So when you put it in a song, that is one way you can get to the masses and get your message out into the world.
I love doing music videos and recording and creating things. All my ideas in my head, then putting them on paper, then putting them out into the world and watching them become reality.
I love to tour. It is a whole different world. I know and I am aware that musicians are one percent of the world that get to experience something like this. Touring is rough and smelly, and there are hardships on tour, but I cannot get enough of it. I feel very lucky to be part of this one percent. It does not always feel like that because a lot of my friends are musicians, so you see everybody succeeding and being fucking awesome. But when you really take a step back, we are the one percent of people who get to experience something really rare and special.
The thing I hate? I guess nowadays, maybe I have always hated loading gear. Hate is a strong word, but loading gear, especially now that I am a little older, is rough sometimes. Especially if you have just played a whole festival and you are an idiot and you do not load gear the night before. Then you wake up, you barely got any sleep, you are still up from the night before, and you have to load all the gear. It is so heavy and annoying sometimes, but it has got to be done. I am thankful to even have gear to load.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
I would love to change the way the new music platforms work, like Spotify and stuff. I could be a hypocrite right now because I use Spotify. It is a great way to scroll around, find new bands, and listen to your favourites, but the musicians barely get paid.
It would be nice if being a musician could be our full-time gig. Unfortunately, we are all blessed to have jobs that can pay for everything, but it would be nice if there was a way musicians could get paid fairly.
Thank you so much to everybody who buys our merchandise, because that seems to be the only way we can survive. We always have to be on top of things and release more music, but that costs money. Platforms like Spotify – I understand it is a business and it deserves a percentage, but maybe pay the musicians. Be fair about it.
It breaks my heart. Everybody who owns a business deserves to make money off it, and I understand owning a business is tough, but musicians deserve to be paid. We put a ridiculous amount of money into this. It is not about the money for me, but it would be nice if platforms had a fair percentage for the musicians.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
That is impossible to answer, so I am just going to go with my new favourite album of the week because it is always constantly changing.
My new favourite album of the week, or this month, is Turnstile’s Never Enough. But also shout out to A Perfect Circle, Led Zeppelin, Slipknot, and Pantera’s The Great Southern Trendkill.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Like the discussion we had earlier, of course downloads are convenient and great, but vinyl, cassette, CD – anything that is solid, anything you can put in your hand – that is special.
I am so thankful and excited that vinyl, cassettes, and CDs are coming back. Downloads are super easy and convenient, but vinyl is pretty sick. I choose vinyl. Cassette is second for sure. That is rad, and you see a lot more at merch tables nowadays. It is really cool.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
I am just going to go from Famous Strangers over the last three years, because with 20-plus years of all of us playing, there are tons of best shows.
With Famous Strangers, I will choose Loud As Hell last year. We played the pancake breakfast at 10 or 11 in the morning, and it was pissing rain. We definitely brought the rain. But everyone showed up. The place was packed with umbrellas and everybody got soaking wet.
I came out from under the stage roof, sat on the speakers, and got soaking wet with the crowd. It was a really special moment, not just because we were surprised everybody showed up so early and in the rain, but because with my other bands, The Order of Chaos and Into Eternity, I have been playing Loud As Hell Festival for about 12 years now. I have watched that festival grow into what it is today, and I am really proud of Loud As Hell.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
I would be sitting around questioning what was missing in my life.
But I think I would be doing something to do with herbology, because I am taking online courses through Wild Rose Herbology. Anything to do with plants, plant medicine, and the forest, because I do love nature. I am a tree-hugging hippie.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
My mom, my dad, my sister, Bill Skarsgard, and Jim Morrison.
What’s next for the band?
We just finished playing Decimate Metal Fest, and we are playing Lethbridge and Calgary this weekend. Then we have a couple more shows and hopefully more booked.
We are releasing our album on vinyl in August, and we will be doing a couple of CD release shows and vinyl release shows. Before the album, we are also releasing another single from the album with an incredible animated music video – thank you to Art Szabo for that.
That is what is planned, but hopefully more incredible opportunities happen before the year ends.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
We have
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/449YCx1WixtaO3hfRwnAzZ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FamousStrangersBand,
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/famousstrangersband
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Famousstrangersband
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@famousstrangersband
Bandcamp: https://famousstrangers.bandcamp.com/
and everything you need is on our website: www.famousstrangersband.com.
We also have Mailchimp. If I am missing anything, please fill in the blanks, but the website link is the big one to include.
Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun, a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll or a Tea Cake?
Please do not hate me for not knowing this question, and I did not even lie to you and Google it.
I am not sure, but I do love the word bap. So I am going to say bap.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
We just want to say thank you so much for sending this interview to us. It is an honour to answer these questions for you.
We work together as a team to make this stuff happen, so thank you so much for your support and your questions today. We hope you have a beautiful day. To everybody out there, please take care of yourselves. We love you so much, and you are amazing.
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